Tammy Wynette was one of the great female singers of the twentieth century, an artist who could plumb the darkest corners of her heart and transform private grief into public drama. Bestselling biographer Jimmy McDonough tells the story of the small-town girl who grew up to be the woman behind the microphone and whose meteoric rise led to a decades-long career full of tragedy and triumph. Through a high-profile marriage and divorce, her dreadful battle with addiction and illness, and the struggle to compete in a rapidly evolving Nashville, Tammy Wynette turned a brave smile toward the world and churned out masterful hit songs full of vulnerability, disillusionment, strength, and endurance. This is an intimate portrait of a music icon, the Queen of Heartbreak, whose powerful voice evoked universal pain and longing even as it belied her own.
1 of 1 copy available
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
March 4, 2010 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781483071718
- File size: 454010 KB
- Duration: 15:45:51
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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December 14, 2009
There’s no mistaking McDonough’s take on Tammy Wynette’s artistry: of her first single, “Apartment No. 9,” he writes, “I don’t know if there has ever been a more perfect debut.” But his adulation is not uncritical—he concedes that the first country musician to go platinum also released plenty of clunkers; more importantly, he gives voice to both Wynette’s closest friends and the families of those like her first husband, Euple Byrd, who were cast aside in the formation of her legend. McDonough (Shakey
) brings a passionate flair to his language, describing Wynette and her third husband (and frequent collaborator) George Jones as a pair of “walking haunted houses,” but occasionally slips into sentimental excess, particularly in imaginary letters to his subject. “Did anyone ever just let you be Wynette?” ends a typical missive. Long detours covering the lives of Jones and Nashville producer Billy Sherrill provide valuable context, but the emphasis is squarely on Wynette and her personal tragedies, including a long slide into drug addiction and a mysterious death some still suspect may have been foul play. Combining pop musicology and tabloid gossip, McDonough has crafted a fitting tribute to a country music icon. Black-and-white photo insert not seen by PW
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August 1, 2010
McDonough (www.jimmymcdonough.net), author of the New York Times best seller Shakey: A Neil Young Biography (2002), presents what may well be the definitive biography of the late singer/songwriter Tammy Wynette (1942-98), who reigned as "The First Lady of Country" for many years and remains a touchstone in the industry. Her much-parsed life reads like one of her songs: she chopped cotton as a child, suffered through several unhappy marriages, and died young. Actor/voiceover artist Robertson Dean's narration makes the work come alive. Those who appreciate celebrity biographies and/or country music should enjoy; recommended as interest warrants.--Pam Kingsbury, Univ. of North Alabama, Florence
Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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